Atsalenios F.C.

P.O. Atsalenios F.C.

Full name	Panathlitikos Omilos Atsaleniou
Founded	1951
Ground	Atsalenios Stadium Heraklion, Greece
Capacity	1,500
Chairman	Ioannis Kalempoumpas
Manager	Vasilis Krasanakis
League	Gamma Ethniki
2015−2016	Heraklion FCA Championship 1st (promoted)
Home colours Away colours

P.O. Atsaleniou F.C., short for Panathlitikos Omililos Atsaleniou (Greek: Παναθλητικός Όμιλος Ατσαλένιου, transliterated Pan-athletic Club of Atsalenio) and also known simply as Atsalenios or POA, is a Greek association football club based in the suburb Atsalenio of Heraklion, the largest city on the island of Crete. The club's short name Atsalenios can literally be translated made of steel (Greek: ατσάλι, being the Greek word for steel). The club currently competes in the Gamma Ethniki, the third tier of the Greek football league system. The club's crest is a vine leaf and its traditional colours are green and white.

History

Atsalenios' older crest.

Atsalenios was founded in 1951 as the Pan-athletic Club of Atsalenio by Asia minor refugees occupying the Atsalenio suburb, located in the southern area of the city of Heraklion, Crete. Since 1960, the club hosts its home games at the Atsalenios Stadium, a privately owned football stadium with a capacity of 1,500 spectators.^[1]

In 1964, the club competed in the Beta Ethniki, the second tier of the Greek football league system for the first time in its history. Since 1976, Atsalenios has consecutively competed at national competitions, either as an amateur or professional club playing in the Delta Ethniki, the fourth tier of the Greek football league system. In 2003, Atsalenios was promoted to the Gamma Ethniki, featuring in seven consecutive seasons before being relegated in 2010.^[1] The club has since briefly resurfaced in the 2013–14 Gamma Ethniki, where it was relegated to Heraklion FCA regional competitions for the first time in 38 years, after finishing 8th in the Gamma Ethniki Group 5.^[2] Then it once again achieved promotion to the Gamma Ethniki during the 2015−16 season, when the club was crowned champions of Heraklion by finishing first in the regional league, and eventually placing first in the 2016 FCA Winners' Championship.^[3]

Atsalenios currently holds the record for most Heraklion FCA Cup trophies won since the competition was established in 1971, with a total of 11 wins.^[4] The club has also claimed 7 Heraklion FCA Championships.

Atsalenios maintains its own football academies, having produced a number of players that have since moved on to more prestigious clubs in Heraklion, such as OFI Crete and Ergotelis, as well as other Greek Superleague clubs.^[1] Some of the most renowned players to emerge from Atsalenios' infrastructure segments include Michalis Sifakis (former Greek champion with Olympiacos, 15 international caps with the Greek national football team), his father Miron (1986−87 Greek Cup winner with OFI Crete), Manolis Roubakis, Petros Giakoumakis and others.^[1]

Current squad

As of 3 July 2016. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player GK Miron Matalliotakis GK Georgios Chatziminas GK Georgios Giagiozis DF Aggelos Karvelas DF Giorgos Charitos DF Georgios Giakoumakis DF Antonis Araviakis DF Manolis Petrakis DF Babis Papadomichelakis DF Kostas Vrettos

No. Position Player MF Evangelos Stathoglou MF Antonis Maragkakis MF Panagiotis Petras MF Andreas Chatziandreou MF Manolis Roubakis MF Manos Fragiadakis MF Giannis Boutsakis FW Serxhio Abdurahmani FW Tasos Triantafillou FW Nikos Vrettos

Honors

Domestic

• Delta Ethniki
  • Winners (2): 2002−03, 2012−13
• FCA Winners' Championship
  • Winners (2): 1988, 2016

Regional

• Heraklion FCA Championship
  • Winners (7): 1970−71, 1973−74, 1984−85, 1987−88, 1994−95, 1996−97, 2015−16
• Heraklion FCA Cup
  • Winners (11) (record): 1974−75, 1977−78, 1983−84, 1985−86, 1986−87, 1990−91, 1996−97, 1997−98, 2000−01, 2002−03, 2014−15

Notable former players

Greece

• Michalis Sifakis
• Michail Fragoulakis
• Petros Giakoumakis
• Giorgos Giakoumakis
• Dimitris Hasomeris
• Dimitris Karademitros

Managerial History

• Rajko Janjanin (1996 – 2002)
• Pavlos Dermitzakis (2002 – 2007)
• Ioannis Taousianis (2007 – 2009)
• Μanolis Patemtzis (2009 – 2015)
• Vasilis Krasanakis (2015 – )

References

1. "ΑΦΙΕΡΩΜΑ ΣΤΟΝ Π.Ο. ΑΤΣΑΛΕΝΙΟΣ – Συνάνης : Μεγάλη ιστορία ο ΠΟΑ – Από τις καλύτερες ακαδημίες στη Κρήτη (Greek)". www.football-academies.gr. 23 September 2013.
2. "Έπεσε ο ΠΟΑ, σώθηκε ο Γιούχτας, άνοδο οι Τράχωνες (Greek)". www.cretavoice.gr. 8 June 2014.
3. "Πρωταθλητής Κρήτης ο ΠΟΑ! (Greek)". www.grandsport.gr. 5 June 2016.
4. "H προϊστορία στο Κύπελλο ΕΠΣΗ (Greek)". mpalakritis.gr. 11 February 2016.

2016–17 Gamma Ethniki teams
Group 1	Nestos Chrysoupoli Doxa Proskinites Apollon Kalamaria Orfeas Xanthi Kavala A.O. Kardia Apollon Paralimnio Almopos Aridaea APE Langadas Kampaniakos Naoussa Makedonikos Foufas Eordaikos Doxa Drama A.E. Pontion Vatolakkos
Group 2	Pydna Kitros Pierikos Mavroi Aetoi Eleftherochori Diagoras Sevasti Ethnikos Filippiada Asteras Petriti Thesprotos A.E. Karaiskakis Apollon Larissa A.E. Istiaia Achilleas Neokaisareia Niki Volos Rigas Feraios Olympiacos Volos Tilikratis Amvrakia Kostakioi
Group 3	Tsiklitiras Pylos A.O. Zevgolateio Panargiakos Chalkida PAO Varda Achaiki Panarkadikos Fostiras Asteras Amaliada Thiva Panachaiki Enosi Ermionida A.O.Loutraki Aiolikos Doxa Megalopolis
Group 4	AEEK INKA Agios Ierotheos Thyella Rafina Ermis Zoniana Panthiraikos Proodeftiki Atsalenios Ilisiakos A.E. Kifisia Triglia Rafina Ergotelis Rodos Ethnikos Piraeus Ionikos